Spring-motor.



F. L. LA ROCHE.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

ATTORNEYS F. L. LA ROCHE.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.27. I916.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

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WITNESSES:

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FREDERICK L. LA ROCHE, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 IRA J. 00E, OF I OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

SPRING-MOTOR.

intense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. LA,

RocHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spriiigmotor, particularly adapted for use in connection with talking machines, although itwill be obvious that the invention is applicable to music boxes and the like, wherever a spring motor is desired.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical spring actuated motor for talking machines which will be of maximum power and of minimum This object I accomplish by employing a plurality of springs which are adapted and arranged to appiy all their power simultaneously to the part to be driven as distinguished from the use of a plurality of springs operatingsuccessively or in series. The present arrangement takes advantage of the combined driving force of the severahsprings. Another object of the invention is to provide a single driving shaft; to which power is transmitted from all the spring barrels in unison, and from which power is in turn transmitted, through a step-up gear train, to a governorregulated driven shaft, as will hereinafter be more fully described. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan section, partly broken a way. on line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spring motor. 7

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the pawl and ratchet by which the winding shaft is locked.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A

indicates the turntable of a talking machine and 2 the main frame of same; and suitably secured to the lower side of said frame is a spring motor generally indicated at B. This motor consists of an upper and a lower plate, such as indicated at 4 and 5, which are spaced apart and secured together by means of four stud bolts 6 which are positioned, one at each corner of the plates.

* and 23.

Journaled intermediate the plates is a pair of shafts 7 and 8, and turnably mounted on each shaft is a barrel 9, interiorly of which is mounted a spring 10. Secured on each barrel is a spur gear 11, and secured on each shaft 7 and 8 is a spiral gear 12. Mounted below the upper plate at and supported in journals 13 is a winding shaft lat,

and secured on said shaft is a pair of spiral 'pinions 15 which intermesh with the spiral gears 12. Secured on the outer end of the winding shaft'M is a crank 16 and secured on the shaft, adjacent to the winding crank, is a ratchet gear 17 which is locked against movement in one direction by means of a weighted pawl 18.

The springs 10, mounted within the barrels 9, are secured at their inner ends, as at 19, to the shafts? and 8 which they surround and at their outer ends, as at 20, to the barrels 9. The connections thus formed permit the tension of the springs to turn the barrels, together with the gears 11, in the direction of arrows a, while the shafts 7 and 8 are remaining stationary,- said shafts being locked against movement except when the springs are rewound by means of the pawl and ratchet secured upon the winding shaft 14.

Journaled between the upper and lower plates 4 and 5 are three alined shafts 21, 22 The shaft 21 will hereinafter be termed the driving shaft, shaft 22 the intermediate shaft and shaft 23 the driven shaft. Secured upon the shaft 21 is a spur pinion 24 and a large spur gear 25. The pinion 2t intermeshes with both of the gears 11, while gear 25 intermeshes with a pinion 26 secured upon the intermediate shaft 22. Driving. movement transmitted to the intermediate shaft, through the gears 25 and 26, is in turn transmitted through an intermediate gear 27 which meshes with a pinion 28 secured upon the driven shaft. gear train thus provided permits the comparatively slow unwinding movement of the barrels 9 to turn the shaft 23 at a high speed which is automatically controlled by means of a governor, generally indicated at C.

This governor consists of a shaft 29 carried by journals 30. Secured on said shaft, near one end, is a collar 31 which is connected with a sliding collar 32 by means of a pair of weighted spring arms 33. Secured upon the sliding collar 32 is a friction disk 3% and pivotally mounted in journals 35,

The step-up ice are from the shaft 23 by the gears 41 and 42 and -rewound or not.

revolving movement thus transmitted creates a sufficient centrifugal action to cause the weighted spring arms to expand and pull the friction disk into engagement with the shoes 38. The speed of the motor is in this manner easily regulated as the position of the shoes 38 may be adjusted by the screws 39, as previously described.

A spring motor constructed as here shown is not only simple, compact and substantial in construction but occupies less space than the general type of motors now employed; this comparatively flat and compact -construction being permitted by the arrangement of the spring barrels 9 and the connected transmission gears. The winding of the motor can practically be done by anyone as the gear ratio between the gears 12 and 15, together with the length of the crank arm 16, is such that comparatively little strength is required to perform the winding operation.

The weighted pawl 18 automatically locks the winding shaft the' moment the crank 16 is released and simultaneously locks the parallel shafts 7 and 8 against turning movement. The barrels 9 are, therefore, free to unwind as long as there is sufiicient tension in the springs 10, whether the motor is being A continuous uninterrupted operation of the motor is, therefore, possible; the speed being at all times automatically regulated by the governor C.

The turntable A may be secured upon any of the shafts 21, 22 or 23 shown, but, prefer ably, upon shaft 23 which is extended and provided with an arbor 50 for the reception of the turntable described. While the motor is here described and employed in connection with a talking machine, it is obvious that its application may be extended for many other purposes; for instance. as a driving motor of a clock, music box, or any other machine, and while two spring barrels are here shown, it is obvious that any suitable number may be employed and also that the materials and finish ofi'the several parts of the mechanism may be such as the experience and judgment of the inanufacturer may dictate.

The arrangement of two or more spring barrels which are adapted to be wound in not wish to limit myself to the specific design and construction here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A spring motor comprising a frame, a pair of vertically disposed shafts journaled in the frame, a barrel turnably mounted on each shaft, a spring carried by each barrel having its inner end secured to the shaft and its outer end to the barrel, a winding gear secured on each barrel, a horizontally disposed winding shaft journaled in the frame, a pair of pinions secured on said shaft, one intermeshing with each .winding gear, a driving shaft vertically positioned and journaled in the frame, a driving pinion secured on said shaft, a pair of driving gears secured one on each barrel intermeshing with the driving pinion, means for turning the winding shaft, and means for automatically regu lating the speed of the driving shaft.

2. A spring motor comprising a frame, a pair of vertically disposed shafts journaled in the frame, a barrel turnably mounted on each shaft, a spring carried by'each barrel having its inner end secured to the shaft and its outer end to the barrel, a winding gear.

secured on each barrel, a horizontally disposed winding shaft ournaled in the frame, a pair of pinions secured on said shaft. one intermeshing with each winding gear, a driving shaft vertically positioned and journaled in the frame, a driving pinion. secured on said shaft, a air of driving gears secured one on each arrel intermeshing with the driving pinion, means for turning the wiiiding shaft, means for automatically regulate ing the speed of the driving shaft, and means for locking the winding shaft against rotation in one direction, said means comprising a ratchet wheel secured on the winding shaft and a pawl engageable with -the ratchet wheel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

" FREDERICK L. LA ROCHE. Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, l/V. W. HEALEY. 

